Grate support frame for clinker cooler



June 18, 1968 w. J. GILLMAN 3,

GRATE SUPPORT FRAME FOR CLINKER COOLER Filed March 13, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. GILLMAN ATTORNEY w. J. GILLMAN 3,388,481

GRATE SUPPORT FRAME FOR CLINKER COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. GlLLMAN BY i flz Q f ATTORNEY 8 Illllll a/Hu. 0 a w 1 2 w E M B mx% \\vs w 1 2 2 2 3. L2 I k a June 18, 1968 Filed March 15, 1967 United States Patent 3,388,481 GRATE SUPPORT FRAME FOR CLINKER COOLER William J. Gillman, 15800 Rim Rock Road, Apple Valley, Calif. 92307 Filed Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,722 7 Claims. (Cl. 34-164) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabricated metal frame means with forwardly extending fingers for supporting the several grate plates which form the grate structure of a cement clinker cooler, in which the fingers are angularly and longitudinally adjustable, separately replaceable, and made of higher heatresisting alloy steel than the main portion of the support frames, which steel is fabricated into fingers by casting.

Background of the invention It is important in the manufacture of Portland cement that the several parts of the equipment which are subjected to high temperature be capable of functioning for very long periods of time because of the great expense of shutdowns of the whole cement-making plant when any part ceases to function, or alternatively when any particular part ceases to function but is capable of being repaired with only a partial shutdown of the entire plant.

In the practised art, one cause for shutdown of the entire plant is the warpage of the integral metal frames having supporting fingers which support individual grate plates, or the burning off of the outer ends of the fingers, by which in either circumstance the surface of the cooler plate floor becomes uneven, the grate plates tilt and produce openings through which the clinker falls, and through which the cooling air distribution becomes irregular. These problems are overcome by this invention because with only a partial shutdown of the cement plant, it is possible by use of my fabricated frame for workmen to adjust the fingers to overcome warpage, or to replace the fingers whose ends have burned off. The fingers may be of any desired length to correspond to the individual plate structure.

A grate plate supporting frame of the unitary type is shown in Gaffney US. Patent No. 2,431,799.

Summary The grate support frame of this invention is fabricated with rigid cross-beams and stitfeners which are not subject to warpage or burning out, to which a plurality of plate supporting fingers of any selected and suitable length are replaceably and adjustably attached, these fingers be ing made of highly refractory alloy steel by casting to shape. Because of the fabricated nature of the support frame, it is possible during only a partial shutdown of the cement plant to replace the supporting fingers with new ones, or to adjust the positioning of individual fingers so that the grate plates are supported to give an unbroken cooler grate floor.

One object of the invention is to provide a fabricated support frame for cooler grate plates whose plate-supporting members may readily be adjusted to compensate for heat warpage. Another object is to provide means for compensating for support frame warpage which means are accessible from the top surface of the frames. Another object is to provide replaceable finger members to said support frames. A still further object is to provide means for adjustably positioning the removable finger members to compensate for frame or finger warpage. Another object is to provide replaceable finger members of higher 3,388,481 Patented June 18, 1968 ice heat resistance than the main portion of the support frames. Still another object is to prevent uneven wear and excessive friction between the grate plates due to heat warpage of the parts.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

A description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, the grate frame 11 is an integral casting consisting of two horizontal beam members 12 and 13 which extend across the cooler, and are supported at their ends along the inside longitudinal walls of the cooler. The two beam members 12 and 13 are held in parallel spaced apart relation by stilfeners 14 which are spaced along the lengths of the beam members 12 and 13 at distances equal to the widths of the sectional grate plates which the frame is designed to support in the assembled cooler. The top surfaces 15 of the stiffeners 14 are disposed below the top surfaces 16 of the beam members 12 and 13; the beam members are provided with slots or notches 18 coinciding respectively with each of said stifieners 14, these notches being adapted to receive the removable finger members 20.

The removable fingers 20 are of generally rectangular bar shape having shanks 22 which fit into the corresponding notches 18 of the beam members 12 and 13, and of cantilevered forward portions 23 which support the edges of the forward portions of the overlapping cooler plates. The top surfaces of the finger members 20 are preferably provided with raised pads 21 on which the cooler plates rest, these pads being at the tip of the fingers, and over each beam member. The shank 22 is provided with bolt holes 24, preferably elliptical for. adjustability, with a countersink depression 25 to receive the heads 26 of bolts 27. The stiffeners 14 are provided with corresponding bolt holes 28 extending therethrough to receive nuts 29, whereby to hold the removable fingers in place on the frame.

In order to provide lateral and angular adjustability in positioning the finger members 20 in relation to the beam members 12 and 13, two split collars or clips 30 are provided on each finger member disposed between the beam members 12 and 13. After the forward portions 23 of the fingers 20 are aligned so that they will engage the cooler plate edges, the clips 30 are affixed to the finger members by the welds 32. The clips 30 fit loosely on the finger members 20 and the slots are slightly wider than the finger members 20 so that they may be displaced angularly as required, before welding (as indicated in broken lines on FIG. 1, right hand finger) to position the forward portions 23 to proper alignment. The clips 30 also cover and protect the holding bolts 27.

I claim:

1. A supporting frame for the cooler plates in a cement clinker cooler device of the type in which there are cross rows of overlapping cooler plates which rows are alternately fixed or movable forwardly and rearwardly in relation to the flow of clinker through said cooler, comprising a pair of edge disposed elongated beam members held together in spaced relation by stiffeners, said stitfeners being spaced apart between said beam members at distances equal to the width of the cooler plates which are to be supported; a plurality of cooling plate-supporting finger members removably attached to said frame above said stiffeners; positioning means for said finger members; and attaching means for removably securing said finger members to said supporting frame.

2. The supporting frame defined in claim 1 in which the said attachment means for said fingers consists of removable bolts extending between said finger members and said stilfeners.

3. The supporting frame defined in claim 1 in which the said positioning means for said finger members consist of notches in the top edges of said cross-beams.

4. The supporting frame defined in claim 1 in which the said positioning means for said finger members consist of notches on the top edges of said cross-beams, and split sleeve members attached on said finger members between said cross-members and abutting the adjacent faces of said cross-beams.

5. The supporting frame defined in claim 1, in which said finger members are composed of high alloy cast steel which is more resistant to wear and heat warpage than is the steel of said beam members.

6. A removable finger member for a cooler plate supporting frame comprising a shank portion and a cantilever portion, said shank portion being provided with bolt holes for removably attaching said member to a supporting frame, and loosely fitting aligning clips on said shank portion, said clips being adapted to be welded to said shank members, whereby to fix the angular position of said fingers in relation to its said supporting frame.

7. The removable finger member defined in claim 6 composed of cast alloy steel having high resistance to wear and heat warpage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,137,158 11/1938 Douglass 34l64 XR 2,431,799 12/1947 Gaffney 34l64 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner. 

